TV LAND CELEBRATES THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF “M*A*S*H” WITH MONTH-LONG SALUTE BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2

August 31, 2012 – New York, NY – TV Land will honor the 40th anniversary of the iconic television series “M*A*S*H” with a month-long celebration this September, it was announced today by the network. The celebration will kick off onSunday, September 2, with the airing of “M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion” and a day-long marathon on Labor Day – Monday, September 3 – from 8am to 6pm ET/PT. Programming will also include the 20th reunion special, “Memories of M*A*S*H,” on Sunday, September 9, as well as the pilot and three-hour finale of the sitcom on Sunday, September 16. “M*A*S*H” will air on weekdays all during the month of September (check the schedule page onTVLand.com).

Based on the 1970 Robert Altman film of the same name, “M*A*S*H” revolves around life at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, where wounded and sick soldiers are treated. The show centers around Dr. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce (Alan Alda) and Dr. “Trapper” John McIntyre (Wayne Rogers), two brilliant surgeons often preoccupied with attractive nurses, practical jokes and merry-making, all while disregarding military decorum. Their relaxed approach is a source of consternation for other medical staffers including Dr. Frank Burns (Larry Linville) and Lt. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan (Loretta Swit), whose secret love affair is no secret. Lt. Colonel Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) is the camp commander who gives “Hawkeye” and “Trapper” free reign, further irritating Burns and “Hot Lips.” Lt. Blake is aided by the nervous, yet efficient, Corporal Walter “Radar” O’Reilly (Gary Burghoff). Other show regulars include Corporal Max Klinger (Jamie Farr), a doctor’s aide in the operating room who wears women’s clothing in hopes of being discharged and Father Francis Mulcahy (William Christopher), who runs an orphanage and serves as the unit’s chaplain.